Abiding by His Instructions: The Moedim

When we come into covenant with our Maker there are terms of that covenant we are to abide by. A section of those terms are instructions in observing specific set apart times, His moedim. There are segments of those instructions we are unable to fulfill these days because the temple no longer stands in Jerusalem nor is there the priesthood to handle the daily affairs of temple life. This includes the various offerings which were to be brought to the temple in Jerusalem three times a year: the passover offering, Shavuot and Sukkot. Neither are we to substitute what we think is right in the meantime. His Set Apart times are meant to be observed throughout the generations, which we can do in 'remembering' why they were done and realizing how they train us up for a future time. We still treat them as sacred times and observe them as the Sabbaths that they are, sans sacrifice, offerings and traveling to Jerusalem.

Y'shua is the Lamb of Elohim and his blood was shed for the forgiveness of sin. In this he has become our High Priest offering atonement on our behalf. He has gone before the throne of Elohim for our sake, seated at His right hand until the day of wrath. He also pointed out that 'we' are the temple, as he knew the destruction of the physical temple would come. Designating our physical bodies as 'temples' makes it possible for the Spirit of YHWH, the Ruach haKodesh to dwell within.  This Spirit comforts us with truth.

Because of the sacrifice of His Son we are no longer obligated to make a passover offering which was originally for the sake of painting the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels of the houses believers were living in, protecting from 'death' that night and set free from bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt. Nor should we try to substitute any other behaviors at this time.  They were also instructed not to delay nor wait for the dough to rise before they left, hence the days of Unleavened Bread. We, too, can eat unleavened bread for seven days in remembrance of the mighty works of our Creator. We treat the first and the last day as Sabbaths. We can take this opportunity to read and share from Exodus to remember why Yah did what He did. 

The Feast of Weeks is a tough one to fulfill as most of us are not farmers, raising barley and wheat. And, again we cannot bring an offering to the priest in Jerusalem on the fifty day count after the barley harvest. One can't even rely on an accurate day of when the barley harvest begins in Israel, let alone count off 50 days! So even our attempts at observing Shavuot is iffy at best.

Leviticus 23:10- When you enter the land which I am giving to you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before YHWH for acceptance in your behalf (on the day after the weekly Sabbath). 14 Until that very day, until you have brought the offering, you shall eat no bread or parched grain or fresh ears, it is a law for all time throughout the ages in all your settlements. 15 from that day after the Sabbath you shall count off seven weeks; until the day after the seventh week - fifty days (total) - then you shall bring an offering of new grain to YHWH - two loaves of bread (of the first fruits) as a wave offering, as first fruits to YHWH. 20 The priest shall offer these- they shall be set apart to YHWH, for the priest. 21 On that same day hold a celebration, a sacred occasion - do no work at your occupations. This is a law for all time in all your settlements, throughout the ages.

During this time called the Feast of Weeks we can observe it by being thankful for His bounty in our lives. We give Him our best every day and are content with what we have. We are grateful for how He has provided for our needs as we see to the needs of others. We must not substitute vain imaginings to replace His Instructions. If you can't take the first sheaf of the harvest to the priest to make an offering in your behalf, don't fake it with anything else. Jeroboam was 'faking it' and did not turn back from his evil ways whereby the House of Jeroboam incurred guilt.

The next appointments are referred to as the fall feasts, set times of Yahweh to be celebrated as sacred occasions. 

Leviticus 23:23-44

• On the first day of the 7th month sound the trumpet;
• The 10th day of this month is The Day of Atonement;
• On the 15th day of this 7th month begin the Feast of Booths
• Followed by the 8th Day, a solemn gathering

After further study I have learned that the Day of Trumpets was originally called a Day of Shouting as in making a joyful noise unto Yahweh. Searching out this moed further, I came across something I had totally missed before! 

Numbers 10:

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before Yahweh your Elohim, and you shall be saved from your enemies. On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months (new moon), you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your Elohim: I am Yahweh your Elohim.”

Do you see what I see? Two Silver Trumpets - not shofars (ram's horn) - to be sounded to gather the congregation, or to be blown over burnt offerings and sacrifices of peace offerings and to be sounded at the new moon sighting and appointed feasts. Two silver trumpets. So I must ponder this: if we can no longer make offerings and not gather at the temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem, the only time (other than wartime) we would sound two silver trumpets would be at the sighting of the new moon (Jerusalem time) and at Yom Teruah, the day of shouting, making a joyful noise of thanksgiving to our Creator. But wait! Only the priests were in charge of these two trumpets!  So, what are regular old joes doing blowing on their shofars whenever they feel like it?

Leviticus 23:23 ~ YHWH spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the Israelite people thus: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe complete rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts. You shall not work at your occupations and you shall bring an offering by fire to YHWH Elohim.

On the first day of the 7th month of Yah's Calendar we may observe the Feast of Trumpets as a Sabbath's day rest and do no work on this day. Shout praises unto Elohim, let Him remember you're here! Then on the 10th day of this 7th month, set it aside as a dignified ceremony wherein not only do we treat it as a Sabbath of rest and do no work but also deny ourselves our usual activities. Go without eating regular meals this day or fast if you are able, stay off the computer and turn off the TV and radio, be in prayer about your life and where you stand in the Word and know Y'shua the Son of Elohim is making Atonement in our behalf. Let us be worthy of this friendship with the one who laid down his life that we could gain life eternal.

Leviticus 23:27 ~ The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall practice self denial, and you shall bring an offering by fire to YHWH Elohim; you shall do no work throughout that day. It is a Day of Atonement on which expiation is made on your behalf before Yah your Elohim. Whoever does not practice self denial throughout that day will be cut off from his kin, and whoever does any work throughout that day, I will cause that person to perish from among his people. Do no work whatever; it is a law for all time, throughout the ages, in all your settlements. It shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for you and you shall practice self denial; on the ninth day of the month from evening to evening, you shall observe this Sabbath.

Next up is Sukkot, the in-gathering of Yah's people, which begins on the 15th day of this seventh month. This is another one of the set times where the males traveled to Jerusalem, after the end of the season's harvest, to make the appropriate offerings at the temple, and they lived in sukkahs while there. Only during every 7th year did the entire household attend Sukkot. We treat the first day as a Sabbath day of complete rest and do the same for the 8th day. If we want to 'camp out' with our family in our own backyards for the seven days, I don't see why not as long as we remember we do this so that we teach future generations that Yah made His people live in make-shift shelters when He brought them out of Egypt. He left the 'light on' but it wasn't at Motel 6. Read from Scriptures every day and night, Genesis through Deuteronomy, remembering the awesome power of our Creator, Yahweh.

There are many groups who like to advertise a gathering place for folks to celebrate Sukkot, which seems like a good thing, but in reality Yah chose Jerusalem as the last place He attached His Name, so how can we think we are honoring him if we do it our own way, and wherever and however we choose? We know enough not to make it up as we go along. I refer back to Jeroboam. 

Follow His Instructions. Do not substitute what you think is right and pleasing. Think about what Nadab and Abihu were doing, remember what Jeroboam did, and make the realization we are not to improvise.

We must abide by the Creator's Instructions, the terms of His covenant, and follow Him with all our heart, doing what is right in His sight; and not substitute anything in place of His Instructions lest we become displeasing or provoke Him and incur guilt. Continue to read Scriptures and let the Ruach haKodesh reveal His Truth. 

From my studies I share the basic outline of how to keep Yah's Set Apart times in this day and age within His parameters. See how different and easy it is compared to the various offerings and engagements from the Hebrew Roots Messianics plan of action which cost money, time and travel? and how simplified compared to Jewish tradition (oral law: the very thing Y'shua taught against).

I can understand why our heavenly Father said this in Isaiah 7:11 ~ What need have I of all your sacrifices... I have no delight that you come to appear before Me - trample My courts no more. Bringing your offerings is futile, incense is offensive to Me. New moon and Sabbath you proclaim solemnities and assemble with wickedness I cannot tolerate. Your new moons (calendar months) and your fixed seasons (man's traditions and substitutes for Yah's moedim) fill Me with loathing - they have become a burden to Me, no longer a joy. When you lift up your hands in false praise and worship I will turn My Eyes away from you.

Satan has a counterfeit for almost everything put forth by our Creator; let us not fall into this same pattern. The example of Jeroboam is what happened in 1 Kings 25 when he (out of fear of losing his position of power) convinced the Israelites (who had chosen him as king) that they did not need to go to Jerusalem to worship YHWH anymore. Jeroboam had built 2 temples, one in Bethel and the other in Dan, in which he had a golden calf placed in each, telling them 'this is your god'. He convinced them that 'God was Everywhere' and it was okay to worship Him anywhere. This is not according to Yahweh! Jeroboam also made cult places and appointed priests from the ranks of people who were not descendants of Levi. This same example applies to religious traditions of today when teachers and leaders and preachers convince folks of things that just aren't right in comparison to what is actually recorded in Scriptures.

Click Here to go to the study

Who is Israel? 

 and Scroll Down to the heading:

The time of Solomon - Division of the Tribes

for more about Jeroboam's deception

YHWH's Method of Counting - Part III

Welcome to Part III 

Which is linked to Part II

Continuing the Study on Yah's Method of Counting

This will conclude the discussion Mrs. G and I had about Yah's method of counting days and months. It involved so much more than we could have kept track of during the commenting session on FB and I needed to do more research in order to see 'right from wrong' and to let His Spirit reveal the truth of the matter. I have included both sides of this discussion to be fair and show I am not just offering my opinion or dismissing Mrs. G.  She, like many others, have a heart for Elohim and desire the truth but get snared in rabbit trails that can be exposed when held up to the Light of Torah, the Writings, The Prophets or the Renewed Covenant.

Mrs G provided the following Scripture references insisting, "The Sabbaths were on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days."  I noticed, while I read her references from my copy of the Tanakh, some comparisons between translations can be misleading. I don't know which version she quotes from. My added comments are in (blue italic parenthesis).

I'd also like to point out that before we get to Chapter 5 in Joshua, they had crossed over the Jordan River and recently defeated Jericho, but the territories of the Promised Land have yet to be settled, no crops have been grown, no harvest to be done yet, so the set apart time of First Fruits wasn't really being observed. First Fruits is part of the barley harvest time frame and I have no idea where 'old corn' comes from. The 16th day is neither here nor there in this story.  Read on a few paragraphs and Mrs. G quotes Scripture correctly from Leviticus about when the offering of first fruits is to occur, yet still doesn't make the connection. Also, First Fruits is not date specific. Barley doesn't always ripen on the same exact day year after year.

Mrs. G: In Joshua 5, we find the children of Israel keeping the Passover, the Sabbath, and First Fruits on the 14th, 15th, and 16th respectively.

Joshua 5:10-12 - And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even (towards evening) in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land (the produce of the country, unleavened bread and parched grain) on the morrow (15th) after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land (16th); neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. (Verse 11-12 On the day after the passover offering, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the country, unleavened bread and parched grain. 12 On that same day, when they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased = Note: the manna ceased on the same day, the 15th day which is the first day of Unleavened Bread, not the 16th day)

Part of misunderstanding the sabbath days comes from the fact that there can be more than one during the times of His Feast Days (moedim).  The seven day count from each new moon always remains the same, but the High Sabbaths can fall on the same count or a day before or after. Perfect example is the Days of Unleavened Bread which lasts for seven days: the first day is a Sabbath and follows the regular seventh day of rest. The last day of Unleavened Bread is the 21st day, and is also a Sabbath and falls on the same day as the regular seventh day of rest.

"But where does it say it was the Sabbath on the 15th day?" (which sabbath is she asking about?) The Passover and Unleavened Bread Lev. 23:5-7... In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is Yahweh's Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto Yahweh: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

But what is this holy convocation spoken of in verse 7?  Mrs. G believes that this is the Feast of First Fruits, even though they have not yet planted any barley to be harvested. (The 'holy convocation' is the first day of unleavened bread which is a sabbath day and not the day of the first fruits offering.)

Lev. 23:9-11 - And Yahweh spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When you come into the land which I give you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before Yahweh, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. (This cannot apply to Joshua Chapter 5 because they have not yet settled into their territories or began farming, so there is nothing to harvest at this time; nothing to bring to the priest.)

Mrs. G: So what did this month look like then? The Sabbaths were on the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th days.  I'm putting all the witnesses together:
Passover was held on the 14th. (and was part of the seven day count, the sabbath day of rest.)  The Sabbath was held on the 15th. (this is the first day of Unleavened Bread, a High Sabbath.)  And First Fruits was held on the 16th (first day of the week). (didn't happen because all things necessary for the observance of First Fruits were yet to be in place. Don't even get me started on days of the week!)

Let me go over our Father's Set Apart Times for us, in regards to this particular study. 

The passover meal at twilight on the 14th day of the month kicks off the Days of Unleavened Bread: The 7th day was set apart by Yah and He told us to keep the 7th day set apart. This is the regular Sabbath day of Rest, every 7th, 14, 21 and 28th days each month. The passover meal is to be eaten on the 14th day before the sun goes down, which triggers the first day of Unleavened bread. The First Day of Unleavened Bread is a High Sabbath, following the regular Sabbath day of Rest, on the 14th day. From the 15th to the 21st (seven days) unleavened bread is to be eaten. The last day is also a High Sabbath which falls on the regular Sabbath day of Rest.
First Fruits/Wave Offering = Deuteronomy 16 Yah names this time the Feast of Weeks. The fiftieth day (Shavuot) is a sacred occasion, a day of 'new grain' offering from the wheat harvest. As instructed in Leviticus, seven weeks are counted off from when the sickle is first put to standing grain of the barley harvest. As I have learned, both wheat and barley are planted at the same time but barley ripens earlier than the wheat, so this Feast of Weeks begins the day of the barley harvest. The first fruits of this harvest (sheaf) are taken to the priest as an offering to YHWH which he presents to Him on the day after the regular Sabbath day of Rest. On the day after those seven weeks, the 50th day, is when a celebration is held commemorating the blessings of YHWH shown in the bounty of the wheat harvest. Notice: This is not a 'date specific' event but hinges on the harvesting of barley, the day the first sheaf is cut. Barley doesn't ripen the same day year after year.

Note:  If the harvest began 2 or 3 days before the regular sabbath, the first sheaf was still taken to the priest, but the priest would wait until after the day of rest before making the Wave offering. The count of days to Shavuot began with the first sheaf being cut.

Mrs. G goes on to say we cannot have a Sabbath day on the 14th day of the month because it is always a work day, Scripture says it is the "preparation" day. She points out that He says the 7th day of the "week" not the 7th day of the month... look at First Fruits, we see it is the first day of the week but the 16th day of the month, count back...  again in the crucifixion week, He is our First Fruit, the 1st risen from the dead...

At this point I was ready to just drop the whole thing because the key to making sense of any of this is to reckon days according to YHWH's reckoning; seven is not eight.  I now begin to feel like I am ironing out deep wrinkles from something that has been tightly folded up for a long time.  I need that old pop bottle with the sprinkler top that Grandma used to ease out the creases.

We know by reading Genesis about His works, He finished His Work of Creation in 6 days and rested on the 7th, but Mrs. G challenges that:

"... that is what He did, where does it say to do as He did?"

Why on earth would we Not Want to do as YHWH did ??
He sets the example for us in all things. He counted from the first day of creation; we count from the first day of the month. The first day of the month is the sighting of the new moon, day one.

Here is what Yah says in regards to keeping the 7th day rest:

Genesis 2:2- By the seventh day YHWH completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then He blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which He had created

Exodus 35:2 "For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a Set Apart day, a sabbath of Complete Rest to Yahweh Elohim.... 

Leviticus 23:3 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of Complete Rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to your Elohim, in all your dwellings.

Deuteronomy 5:12 'Observe the sabbath day to keep it set apart as Yahweh your Elohim commanded you.

As it is written in the Ten Commandments, we are told to remember:

Remember the sabbath day and keep it set apart. Six days you shall do all your work but the seventh day is a sabbath of Mine. You, your family, your hired hands or your work animals or the stranger who is visiting your town shall do no work. I made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them in six days and on the seventh I rested, therefore I blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart.

At this point I should probably begin a Part IV, but will carry on to wrap this up because I forgot about "New Moon Day" which is part of that 8 day count doctrine. Mrs. G says it comes right from Scripture itself, many verses.  So I went in search for these many verses.

Numbers 10 mentions sounding the two Silver Trumpets at the time of the new moon. I grew up in a town that sounded a 'noon whistle'. It was one cycle of the alarm at the fire department. When it sounded folks new it was 12 noon and many checked their watches to keep them set correctly. The sounding of the Silver Trumpets let folks know it was the first day of the month, and a new count of days began.

10 "Also in the day of your gladness and in your appointed feasts, and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your Creator. I am YHWH your Elohim."

The NIV calls it a New Moon Feast instead of the first day of the months.  There was no command to celebrate the sighting of the new moon. It wasn't included in any feast day. However there was the sounding of the two silver trumpets to signal the first day of the month so those in hearing distance knew it was time to start a new count of days, with each 7th day always the regular day of rest set apart to our Creator.

~~~

 Links to related Studies

Feast of Weeks = Shavuot

Keeping His Feast in Today's World

Three Days and Three Nights

Days of Unleavened Bread

That Pagan World

Over the years I have posted here and there, and shared several links to the topic of the Pagan Origins of the many things we take for granted. This is an important study and the knowledge needs to be shared - again.  Don't let yourself become overwhelmed or angry or discouraged. What I am sharing is a result of my research and study and reading Scriptures that started over fifteen years ago when I innocently looked for the origin of christmas... the journey had to start somewhere! I don't claim to be any sort of scholar, but I know a lot more now than I did back then.  And we are not the first to search these things.  Once you start looking, there have been many before us seeking truth.

I will include as much as I can and pray for this to be a source of light to those searching for His Path, continually seeking Him so that He will cause the Ruach haKodesh (His Set Apart Spirit) to reveal to you Truth in everything.

The Ten Commandments begin with Yahweh, our Creator, telling us He is the one true Elohim and that we shall have no other gods besides Him.  He goes on to define those gods as man made images (idols) of things in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters and Not to bow down to them or serve them. He is serious about this and will pass on the guilt of doing such things to the generations that reject Him and He will show kindness to the generations who love Him AND keep His commandments. He also knows that Satan will set up counterfeits along the way.  It is important for us to recognize the Spirit of Yahweh so as to identify the devices of Adversary.

To 'bow down to them' is to exalt, to think very highly of them, seeing them as powerful, lesser, greater or in place of YHWH. Whether made of stone, wood, gold or silver and in the image/symbols of what we think angels look like (heavens above) or man, or animal fetishes or representing fish or other things in the water, we are not to serve them.

Look around. You will notice right away a variety of images in a variety of forms representing heaven, earth, waters, sea, air, the elements -- things Yahweh said right off the get-go not to make. He wants us to be Set Apart (righteous); set apart from the world and its pagan ways, those subtle temptations that cause us to doubt the Creator, as when Satan said to Eve, "You are not going to die, but Elohim knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like divine beings who know good and bad."

Then what happened?
In short, they tried to hide themselves from Yahweh because of their guilt and were eventually kicked out of the Garden.

Right from the beginning Satan has been tempting us. It is our Faith in the Creator and our obedience to His Instructions, which are for our health and well being, reinforced by (witnessed) the life and death of His son, Y'shua Messiah that we choose to be Set Apart, resisting temptation cause the devil to flee from us.

Who would have thought that types of  Dance could be pagan?

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 5:20)

Most folks already are aware of when Messiah was born.

The Origin of Christmas Tree

Just as early Christians recruited Roman pagans by associating Christmas with the Saturnalia, so too worshippers of the Asheira cult and its offshoots were recruited by the Church sanctioning “Christmas Trees”.  Pagans had long worshipped trees in the forest, or brought them into their homes and decorated them, and this observance was adopted and painted with a Christian veneer by the Church. 

 ~ Here is what God says: “... Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven [the stars]; for the heathen are dismayed at them [millions ignore this plain statement of God and read their horoscopes daily]. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree…” (Jeremiah. 10:2-5).

The Origin of Mistletoe

Norse mythology recounts how the god Balder was killed using a mistletoe arrow by his rival god Hoder while fighting for the female Nanna. Druid rituals use mistletoe to poison their human sacrificial victim. The Christian custom of “kissing under the mistletoe” is a later synthesis of the sexual license of Saturnalia with the Druidic sacrificial cult.

The Origin of Christmas Presents

In pre-Christian Rome, the emperors compelled their most despised citizens to bring offerings and gifts during the Saturnalia (in December) and Kalends (in January). Later, this ritual expanded to include gift-giving among the general populace. The Catholic Church gave this custom a Christian flavor by re-rooting it in the supposed gift-giving of Saint Nicholas.

The Origin of Santa Claus  

Nicholas was born in Parara, Turkey in 270 CE and later became Bishop of Myra. He died in 345 CE on December 6th. He was only named a saint in the 19th century.  He was among the most senior bishops who convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 CE and created the New Testament. The text they produced portrayed Jews as “the children of the devil” who sentenced Jesus to death.

In 1087, a group of sailors who idolized Nicholas moved his bones from Turkey to a sanctuary in Bari, Italy. There Nicholas supplanted a female boon-giving deity called The Grandmother, or Pasqua Epiphania, who used to fill the children's stockings with her gifts. The Grandmother was ousted from her shrine at Bari, which became the center of the Nicholas cult. Members of this group gave each other gifts during a pageant they conducted annually on the anniversary of Nicholas’ death, December 6.

The Nicholas cult spread north until it was adopted by German and Celtic pagans. These groups worshipped a pantheon led by Woden –their chief god and the father of Thor, Balder, and Tiw. Woden had a long, white beard and rode a horse through the heavens one evening each Autumn. When Nicholas merged with Woden, he shed his Mediterranean appearance, grew a beard, mounted a flying horse, rescheduled his flight for December, and donned heavy winter clothing.

In a bid for pagan adherents in Northern Europe, the Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas cult and taught that he did (and they should) distribute gifts on December 25th instead of December 6th. 

In 1809, the novelist Washington Irving (most famous his The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle) wrote a satire of Dutch culture entitled Knickerbocker History. The satire refers several times to the white bearded, flying-horse riding Saint Nicholas using his Dutch name, Santa Claus.

Dr. Clement Moore, a professor at Union Seminary, read Knickerbocker History, and in 1822 he published a poem based on the character Santa Claus: “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in the hope that Saint Nicholas soon would be there…” Moore innovated by portraying a Santa with eight reindeer who descended through chimneys.

The Bavarian illustrator Thomas Nast almost completed the modern picture of Santa Claus. From 1862 through 1886, based on Moore’s poem, Nast drew more than 2,200 cartoon images of Santa for Harper’s Weekly. Before Nast, Saint Nicholas had been pictured as everything from a stern looking bishop to a gnome-like figure in a frock. Nast also gave Santa a home at the North Pole, his workshop filled with elves, and his list of the good and bad children of the world. All Santa was missing was his red outfit.

  

1931, the Coca Cola Corporation contracted the Swedish commercial artist Haddon Sundblom to create a coke-drinking Santa. Sundblom modeled his Santa on his friend Lou Prentice, chosen for his cheerful, chubby face. The corporation insisted that Santa’s fur-trimmed suit be bright, Coca Cola red. And Santa was born – a blend of Christian crusader, pagan god, and commercial idol. (I never heard this one about Coca-Cola - ckc) 

The origins of Easter

John 4:22-24 You worship something that you do not know. But we worship what we know, for life is from the Yehudeans (Messiah is referred to as the Lion of Judah). But the hour is coming, and now is when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, indeed. For the Father, He seeks worshippers as these. For Elohim is Spirit and those who worship they must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Mark 7:6-7 Messiah says, Yesha'yahu (Isaiah) the prophet did well prophesy about you hypocrites! As it is written that 'This people honor me with their lips (words) but their hearts are very distance from me. And vainly they fear me while they are teaching the doctrines of the (man made) commandments of the sons of men.

My husband and I don't 'celebrate' Purim or Hanukkah because they are not 'commanded' by Elohim. I realize they are of historical value, like the 4th of July or Memorial Day (which we do not celebrate, either).

Chanukah is a man made tradition. 

Quote: (John 10:22-24). Notice that this is the only reference to the festival of Chanukah (חַג חֲנֻכָּה) that occurs in all of Scriptures. Some additional "extra biblical" sources include the testimony of the first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who likewise referred to the commemoration of the Maccabees as an eight day "festival of lights", and various midrashim that quote Hillel and Shammai (i.e., two famous sages that predated the time of Yeshua) discussing the method of kindling the lights of the Chanukah menorah. One midrash states that Chanukah was to be regarded as an acronym for Chet Nerot veHalakhah K'bet Hillel ("eight candles and the law according to the House of Hillel"), referring to Hillel's view (his opinion) that we should light one candle on the first night and increase the amount by one every day (Shammai, on the other hand, thought we should light eight candles on the first night and reduce one every subsequent night). According to early Jewish tradition (preserved in Megillat Antiochus, 2nd Century AD), since the Maccabees were unable to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot at its proper time in the fall, they decided that it should be observed after the Temple was restored, which they did on the 25th of the month of Kislev in the year 164 B.C. Since Sukkot lasts eight days, this became the time frame adopted for Chanukah."  End Quote.

John 10:22 gives us a time frame, noting the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) occurred in Jerusalem and it was winter and Y'shua was walking in the temple in the porch of Solomon. (note: this is the only time Hanukkah is mentioned in Scriptures - there's no 2 or 3 other times to bear witness or support its importance as a feast day.)  Folks think because Messiah was 'there' that he was 'celebrating' but I think the reason he was there was because he was 'teaching', as he was accustomed to doing, not so much partaking of the feast. 

John 10 starts out with his Sheep Parable, then the feast day is mentioned, then: The Jews surround him again asking how long will he keep them waiting: "if you are the Mashiyach, tell us!" He lets them know that he HAS told them but they do not believe because 'they are not of his sheep'. Perhaps noting the feast day and the fact these Jews were celebrating it (which is why they were at the temple) and then Y'shua saying they were not his sheep, lets us know it is not of Elohim and we should not partake of it, either.

Y'shua was not celebrating Chanukah - he was present, on the porch of the Temple. It appears he was taking the opportunity to teach to those who had gathered there.  The lead in verses to John 10:22 sets the tone for what's going on.  In 10:7 he says that he is the Gate of the flock. He goes on to say if a man should enter by him (the Gate) he will live, enter and go out and find pasture. (No man comes to the Father except by Y'shua). He says he is the Good Shepherd that lays his life down for the flock. He knows those who are his and they know him. Then he says in 10:16 that he also has other sheep, those not of this sheepfold. It is necessary for me to bring them and they will hear my voice and all the flocks will become one and there will be One Shepherd. (I love this! He just told us the sheepfold is the House of Israel and the other sheep are those who have chosen to obey YHWH and have the testimony of His son - we will be One People with One Faith and One Elohim!) Well, once again Y'shua causes a stir among the Yehudeans, they don't believe, they don't recognize their Shepherd's voice and think Y'shua is possessed.

Here's info on Purim   

As a reminder, No matter what one uses for research and reference material, ALWAYS take what you have gleaned and measure it against Scriptures, the Word of God our Creator. His Ruach haKodesh - His Set Apart Spirit - will reveal the Truth as long as we maintain our Faith in the one true God. It's not about religion, but His perfect government system.  Judaism is a religion. Christianity is a religion. Islam is a religion, etc... 

The Fall Appointments

These are the set times of Yahweh to be celebrated as sacred occasions:

Leviticus 23:23-44

• On the first day of the 7th month sound the shofar;
• The 10th day of this month is The Day of Atonement; 
• On the 15th day of this 7th month begin the Feast of Booths
• Followed by the 8th Day, a solemn gathering

It has been noted that Yah's Set Apart times are also types and shadows of things to come, that those which occur during the spring have been fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Yahshua, and that the ones which occur in the fall (the 7th month) are yet to be fulfilled. These could be related to events recorded in Revelation:

The 7th Seal, which has yet to be opened...

The 7 Shofars, which have yet to sound....

The Gathering of Yah's Chosen People...

Yahshua as our king and High Priest

After 1,000 years Yah restores all things

Leviticus 23:23

Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, "Speak to the Israelite people thus: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe complete rest, a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts. You shall not work at your occupations and you shall bring an offering by fire to YHWH Elohim.

23:27

The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall practice self denial, and you shall bring an offering by fire to YHWH Elohim; you shall do no work throughout that day. It is a Day of Atonement on which expiation is made on your behalf before Yahweh your Elohim. Whoever does not practice self denial throughout that day will be cut off from his kin, and whoever does any work throughout that day, I will cause that person to perish from among his people. Do no work whatever; it is a law for all time, throughout the ages, in all your settlements. It shall be a sabbath of complete rest for you and you shall practice self denial; on the ninth day of the month from evening to evening, you shall observe this sabbath.

And again in Numbers 29 with more details:

In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a sacred occasion: you shall not work at your occupations. You shall observe it as a day when the horn is sounded (a day of festivity). You shall present a burnt offering of pleasing odor to YHWH: one bull of the herd, one ram, and seven yearling lambs, without blemish. The meal offering with them - choice flour with oil mixed in - shall be 3/10 of a measure for a bull, 2/10 for a ram and 1/10 for each of the seven lambs. And there shall be one goat for a sin offering, to make expiation in your behalf in addition to the burnt offering of the new moon with its meal offering and the regular burnt offer with its meal offer each with its libation as prescribed, offerings by fire of pleasing odor to YHWH.

29:7

On the tenth day of the same seventh month you shall observe a scared occasion with you shall practice self denial. You shall do no work. You shall present to YHWH a burnt offering of pleasing odor: one bull of the herd, one ram, seven yearling lambs, without blemish. The meal offering with them - of choice flour with oil mixed in - shall be 3/10 of a measure for a bull, 2/10 for the ram, 1/10 for each of the seven lambs. And there shall be one goat for a sin offering of expiation and the regular burnt offering with its meal offering each with its libation.

New moons, regular offerings, blasts of the shofars, atonement, 7th month, days of the month... how do we apply these rules to our modern days? How do we know God's Calendar of Months? If the temple nor the the priesthood exist, how are we to make offerings? Did Y'shua fulfill all offerings? How do we observe these times without causing YHWH to become upset with us?

We can keep these days as sacred occasions and not work at our occupations. We can shout out to YHWH on the first day and practice self denial on the tenth day. We can live as examples of what it means to be Set Apart and study out the Word of Elohim to be familiar with these appointments He put in place for us. We should not substitute other behavior or traditions and think we are pleasing Him. 

A 'sacred occasion' is akin to a dignified ceremony; solemn; earnest. 'Self-denial' is akin to setting aside our own interests; restraining our own desires; being in control of our impulses as we refrain from indulging ourselves (turn off the TV, radio, computer, phones, etc...)

On the first day of the 7th month of Yah's Calendar we observe the Feast of Trumpets as a sabbath's day rest and do no work on this day. Shout praises unto Elohim, let Yahweh know you're here! Then on the 10th day of this 7th month, set it aside as a dignified ceremony wherein not only do we treat it as a sabbath of rest and do no work but also deny ourselves our usual activities. Go without eating regular meals this day, be in prayer about your life and where you stand in the Word and know Y'shua the Son of Elohim is making Atonement in our behalf. Let us be worthy of this friendship with the one who laid down his life that we could gain life eternal.

Sukkot = The Ingathering of Yah's People

This is one of the set times where the males traveled to Jerusalem, after the end of season harvest, to make the appropriate offerings at the temple, and they lived in huts or tents while there. Only during every 7th year did the entire household attend this Feast of Booths. We can treat the first day as a sabbath day of complete rest and do the same for the 8th day. If we want to 'camp out' in our own backyards, I don't see why not as long as we remember we do this so that we teach future generations that YHWH made His people live in booths when He brought them out of Egypt.

There are many groups who like to advertise a gathering place for folks to celebrate Sukkot, which seems like a good thing, when in reality Yah chose Jerusalem, the last place He attached His Name was there, so how can we think we are honoring him if we do it our own way, where ever we choose?  We should know enough by now not to make it up as we go along.

!!! HOLD EVERYTHING !!!

Here is one of the unforeseen benefits of studying topics such as this. I had recently read a post from folks already celebrating the First Day of the 7th Month, which I thought was aligned in October, not September, but I never followed that trail at the time. Right now while looking for a calendar to share I found out where that discrepancy came from... turns out to be a rabbinic error in adding a leap month when it was not necessary.  Here is a quote from The Refiner's Fire:

For 2016 our calendar and the traditional Jewish calendar are FAR off! The reason is, the traditional calendar applies a fixed cycle of leap years, so for 2016, the traditional calendar is a leap year when it should not be! It has Nisan a whole month late! Our calendar has Nisan falling at the correct date so Pesach (passover) falls just after the Vernal Equinox, i.e., Spring. Thus our calendar for 2016 differs from the rabbinic 2016 calendar for all dates after February 9th!

So let it be known - how can we please our Creator if we don't even know what day it is? and whose fault is that? and how do we remedy this?  I see another study on the horizon! Stay tuned! 

And I also see why YHWH Elohim said this:

Isaiah 7:11 What need have I of all your sacrifices... I have no delight that you come to appear before Me - trample My courts no more. Bringing your offerings is futile, incense is offensive to Me. New moon and sabbath you proclaim solemnities and assemble with wickedness I cannot tolerate. Your new moons (months) and your fixed seasons (man's traditions and substitutes for Yah's moedim) fill Me with loathing - they have become a burden to Me, no longer a joy. When you lift up your hands in false praise and worship I will turn My Eyes away from you.